Box forming and wrapping machine



July'26, 1932. I .R. c. CUNNINGHAM 1,863,567 4 BOX FORMING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Filed July 24, 1929 INVENTOR I? a. Cunnznyb am Patented July 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND C. CUNNINGHAM, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO HINCHER PAPER BOX 00., OF SEATTLE, W'ASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON BOX FORMING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Application filed July 24,

This invention relates to paper box making and wrapping machines, and more es pecially, to a device of this kind wherein both operations are accomplished simultaneously throughout a cycle ofoperation of the machine. I

An object thereof is the provision of means which may be readily secured to box making apparatus heretofore in use, such, for instance, as illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 1,541,036 issued June 9, 1925, in a manner to more readily assemble a paper box. I

Another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus ofthis character whereby the resultant manufacturedbox is of a considerably lighter weight than has heretofore been found possible. 7

The invention further has numerous other advantages relative to simplification, cost of production, and symmetry of structure, consisting in the novel construction, adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter described.

ln the drawing,

Figural is a vertical transverse section of apparatus incorporating the present invention, parts being broken away and shown in side elevation and one side only being illustrated to show the preferred form of the invention, the cooperating side not shown, being synonymous thereto. Fig. .2 is avertical transverse section, taken through 22 I of Fig. 1, with parts being broken away, and

illustrating in front elevation, a portion of a box'body and the invention applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through 88 of Fig. 1 taken to a reduced scale, the transverse rollers shown in Fig. 1 being omitted. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the paper wrapper utilized in securing associated parts of a box, one to the other; Fig. 5 is a perspective, indicating disassembled parts of a box blank and bore board; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken'through an assembled completed box'.

Hitherto, in paper-box manufacture, it has been the practice to form a box by securing a previously pasted open top rectangular structure having a flanged bottom integral therewith to an extension bottom, or base 1929. Serial No. 380,651.

board, and following this operation by securing a mucilaged paper wrapper thereabout. The wrapping hence, is superfluous in the box structure, except as giving its ornamental effect to the finished article.

With the present invention, in contradistinction thereto, I have devised means whereby a paper box is constructed of a substantially rectangular blank form A which is open both at the top and bottom respectively. This being adaptabiy placed over a form, is arranged to drop into seating engagement with a base board B and is secured thereto by the mucilaged paper wrapping C which retains the two piece structure in a secure, compact, finished box article. From the foregoing, it is apparent that, whereas formerly, the practice has been, of necessity, to construct a box of two thicknesses of bottom, the present invention eliminates one thickness with a resultant obviation of excess weight.

It is to be further. noted that the present invention obviates the unnecessary ornamental depression of the box bottom before assemblage, the one thickness of material easily allowing of inserting the box entire within a stamp press subsequent to securing cooperating parts together.

iii)

Reference being had to the drawing, the

numeral 5 represents a form block detachably secured, as by a pivot plate 6, to bifurcated plunger rods 7 rigid thereto, said detaching means comprising a metal backing plate 8 secured to the form as by screws 9, and arranged to have upstanding pins 10 thereof engage in slotted apertures 11 of the pivot plate.

Arranged for vertical reciprocatory movement, individually and collectively, therewith, is a form base 12, suitably supported and vertically movable by a plunger 13 freely movable through the apertured opening 14 of the described form block 5. a

Cooperative therewith, is a work support ing block 15 which is secured for rotative reciprooatory movement to the upper end of a vertically movable lower spindle 16. The foregoing, namely, plunger rods 7, 13, and

spindle 16, have independent cam controlled motivity in vertical movement, independent 18, Supported in rigid machine brackets 19-,-

and operable in revo'luble action, by suitable gear meshing structure driven from any desired power source J( not shown) said rollers being provided longitudinally of lengths thereof with elongated slots 17 18 As showmsaid rollers are arrangedin pairs,dia-

metrically opposite and in horizontally aligned planes and such-as to dispose one pair in spaced distance above the other.

' a The structure described, except as utilized in conjunction with apparatus hereinafter de scribed, is not new, being common to the art andused heretofore in box'making machinery m Reverting from the foregoing to apparatus specific to my invention, I provide, loosely ii mounted upon the described bifurcated. rods 25 7, a plunger body 20 therefore providing horizontally disposed wing or-arm elements 21 at diametrically opposite sides arranged to take box-side engaging members 22, in sleeved securement to the outer extremities. V

Said members comprise amounting or body portion23 having depending therefrom, stems 24, to. which are securably'attached, as by a set screw, bracket elements 25. Pivot-ally secured as at 26, to the inwardly projecting finger portions 27, are dependent hangers 28.

Said hangers are desirably resiliently re tained in rightangle vertical position to the plane of the'form block, as by a compression spring 29 acting in opposition to a depending leg 30 of the bracket 25$ justrnent to the aforesaid hanger plane. Said hanger,as shown, extends downwardly, and outwardly as by an offset 33, 111 a manner to provide the effective upward pressure, in a plane approximately vertical to the ax'ialline of the pivot pin 26, the base portion being constructed to afford 'a yoke 34' adapted to rigidly engage a tapered toe element 35,

A pin 38 of said plate projectsoutwardly to extend through a vertically disposedslot 39,

being adaptably screw threaded to accom moda-te a nut 40 in engageable' relation to the rear facetl ofthe hanger, said nut providing containing retention" of the plate within the channel and, in a manner to allow vertical activity to the plate, resultant of the upward thrust exertedagainst the lip portion e 2 by the "lateral edge 43 of a'box I plank An extension-=spring4e4, interengaging the pro-T jecting head 45 of said pin 38 and an eye "extension' 46 of the hanger, resiliently secures the base of said yoke 34.

the upper lateral projecting beyond.

' 'A'bolt 31 and regulating nut 32 provide ad- Y The forward facefof said hanger provides said plate in a normal disposition adjacent Operation: A box bottom B subsequent to being-placed by the operator over a wrapping I of which is coated 1 sheet C, the upper surface with a film of adhesive, is inserted on the supportingblock 15, andcentered withrespect mum form bodies 5, 12.

box blank A is placed or inserted about the plunger form bodies, in a mannerltohave peripheral edge in abutting engagement to the tip 42 of the hanger plate 87. The. motive power effecting operation to the associated cylindrical cams, produces a collectivedownward movement of the form blocks 5,12 and hanger 28- in pressing the lower peripheral edges ofthe box blank A to the body of the box bottom, ina disposition providing 'a flange 47 extending circumferentially thereabouts, the mucilaged wrapping The pressure of the plate lipresistently affords pressure to the box lateral edges, yieldingly'retaining'the same to associated box parts with an elimination of material crushing or depressions to the box body.

Under the further collective downward travel of the forms 5, -12, hanger 28 together with the supporting block '15, longitudinally disposed rollers 17 engage the wrapping to effect a side turn up of the mucilaged wrapping about the longitudinally disposed project ng flange and box sides the slots 17 affording admission of the box flange in securing the mucilage thereabout.

As therollers17 complete a rotative activity in comprising projecting adhesive portions of the wrappingto longitudinal box sides in a manner to retain blank A and bottom B, one to the other, thedownstroke ac- 9 tivity of hangers 28 is arrested, continuation of travel of forms 5,12 and block'lb progressively feeding the box body past rollers 18 to effect an adhesive compression of the laterally projecting adhesive wrapping in a side turn-up to flange and boxsides. While said latter rollers are rendered operative to the box body sides, upstroke activity is'afl'ordedplunger 20 in returning hangers -28 to their extreme upper position as shownin Fig. 1. 3 I f l Succeedingupstroke activity of the boxsupporting members, subsequent arresting of block 15, and continuation'of forms 5, 12, contacts the box edge 43 retained on said forms against'plate lip 42 in affording a stripping activity for dislodging the box; Fallingto the 'surface of block 15, the kicking action of a horizontally movable rod is customarily utilized in removing the finished box, such latter action depositing the, completed article in an inclined runway com municativelyfeeding to a receiver. p .The hanger, as shown, is so constructed as to provide a spring resistant tapering toe to guide said plate lip in a manner to accurately dispose associated parts into operative posi tion.

It is to be understood that any suitable means of controlling the movement of associated members might be had, conventional practice utilizing a plurality of pivoted le vers, one extremity engaging a respective plunger rod, and the levers controlled through rollers journaled in opposite ex- I tremities and arranged for tracking engagement in cam slots grooved circumferentially about the periphery of rotative cylindrical drums. i t

The construction shown and described is illustrative of the form now preferred by me, it being evident that numerous changes might be made within the scope of the appended claims.

That I claim, is,-

1. In a machine for forming and wrapping boxes, the combination with a form block and a work supporting block, of a plunger moun ed for vertical movement, individually and collectively with said blocks, laterally projecting arm elements secured to said plunger and disposed at diametrically opposite sides thereof, mountings secured at the ends of said arms, hangers pivotally depending therefrom, a compression spring carried between said hanger and said mounting and arrangedto resiliently secure said hanger in a substantially vertical plane, and outwardly and downwardly tapering toe and a vertically arranged slide carried by said hanger, said slide being adapted to provide a yieldable downward thrust to a box blank inserted over said form block.

2. In apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said yieldable downward thrust of said slide, comprises vertically arranged spring means acting between said slide and the hanger.

3. In a machine for forming and wrapping boxes, the combination with a form block and a work supporting block, of hangers supported at diametrically opposite sides of said form block, means for vertically reciprocating said hangers individually and collectively with said form block and said supporting block, a'channel disposed in the face said hanger, a slide for said channel. said slide having a lip projecting beyond the face of said channel adapted to contact a box blank inserted over said form block, and re lfent means for retaining said lip in yieldable engagement with. said form blank.

4:. In a machine for forming and wrapping boxes, the combination with a form block and a work supporting block, of hangers arranged for vertical reciprocatory movement individually and collectively with said blocks, a slide carried by and adapted to contact a box blank inserted over said form block, means interconnecting said hanger and said slide providing a yieldable downward thrust of said box blank in opposition to a box bottom supported by said supporting block, and

means rendered operable by a collective downward travel of said blocks whereby the box blank and said box bottom are secured together.

5. In a machine for forming and wrapping boxes, a form block adapted to carry a box blank inserted thereon, a supporting block adapted to carry a box bottom superimposed. over an adhesively coated sheet of wrapping, means for yieldingly retaining said box blank said box bottom, and means rendered operable by a collective downward travel of said blocks and retention means, for aiiixing the sheet of wrapping material to the blank sides in securing said blank a .d box bottom together.

6. In a machine having form and supporting blocks for formin and wrapping boxes, said form block being adapted to carry a box blank mounted thereon, the supporting block being adapted to carry an adhesively coated sheet of wrapping and a box bottom superposed and centered thereon, the wrapping presenting side and end flaps projecting laterally in excess of the bottom, of means for successively turning up and wiping sides andends of the wraping to sides and ends of the blank, and resilient means cooperating with the form block and adapted to be rendered inoperative subsequent to an initial securement of the side flaps of the wrapping over the sides of the blank for affording a yieldable depression of said box blank to the bottom in retaining the blank and bottom in engagement, one to the other. I

7. In apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said last named means is adapted to dislodge the wrapped box from the form block responsive to upstroke activity of the latter.

8. The method of uniting an open top and bottom box blank and a box bottom in the production of a box, consisting in the successive steps of centering the box bottom with respect to a sheet of adhesively coated wrapping to present flaps projecting laterally beyond the bottoms, yicldably depressing the box blank into contactual engagement with the bottom, effecting a side turn-up and wiping of the flaps to sides of the box blank while continuously retaining pressure contact between the blank and bottom, removing the pressure between the blank and bottom, and finally aiiecting a side turn-up and wiping of the flaps to the remaining sides of the blank.

9. The method of uniting an open top and bottom box blank and a box bottom in the production of a box, consisting in the successive steps of centering the box bottom with respect to a sheet of adhesively coated 7 ing the box blank'into contactual engagen I Wrapping-to present'liaps projecting laterally beyond the bottom, yieldably depressment With the bottom, and effecting a side turn-up and Wiping of the flaps to two sides i only of the box blank While Continuously retaining pressure contact between the blank and bottom.

10. The method of'uniting an open top box blankWith abox bottomrin the production ofa box, consisting in the successive steps of centering the box bottom with respect to a sheet-or" adhesively coated Wrapping to present'flaps projecting laterally beit yond the bottom, depressing the box blank into contaotual engagementwith the hottom, yieldably retaining said blank-and bottom in contaotual engagement,'one with ani other, andellecting, oo-incident-With said 2o 7 projecting flaps of said Wrapping over the yieldable retentioma turn-up and Wiping of blank sides sufficient to maintain saidbottom and box blank, one-to the other. Y

11. .The method of uniting an open top box blank with a box bottom in the produotion of a box, consisting in the successive steps of-centering the box bottom with respect to a sheet of adhesively coated wrap ping to present flaps. projecting laterally beyond edges of the bottom, yieldably bring ing said box blank and bottom into contact, one to the other, and retaining said box blank and the bottom in said yieldable contact While affording a turn up and Wiping ping boxes, blocks adapted to respectively carry abox blank and a bottom therefor,

of said projecting flaps over Walls of the boxv blank sufficient to maintain 'saidflbox blank and bottom, one With the other. V

.12. vIn 'a machine for forming and Wrapsaidbottom having a sheet." of 'adhesively coated Wrapping afiixed to the same to present flapsproj'ecting laterally beyond edges of said vbottom, means for bringing the box blank and said box bottom into yi'elol'able engagement, one With theother, and means operable co-incident with said yieldable engagement' for afiixing projecting flaps of saidvvrapping over the box blank in attaching said bottom thereto.

I Signed atSeattle, Washington, this 18th day of July 1929. p I RAYMOND C. CUNNINGHAM, 

